MADDIE COURT BID QUASHED Maddie McCann’s parents lose court appeal to silence cop who claims they covered up daughter’s deathGoncalo Amaral had worked on the investigation to find Maddie after she disappeared in May 2007BY GERARD COUZENS 31st January 2017, 3:30 pm

MADELEINE McCann’s parents have lost their new court appeal to silence the ex-cop who claims they covered up their daughter’s death, Portuguese media reports.

Portuguese Supreme Court judges met to resolve the couple’s fight against a lower court’s decision last April to reverse their 2015 libel win against Goncalo Amaral.

Gerry and Kate McCann, pictured in July 2014, are reported to have lost their high court bid to silence an ex-cop who claims they covered up the death of their daughter.

Gerry and Kate McCann, pictured in July 2014, are reported to have lost their high court bid to silence an ex-cop who claims they covered up the death of their daughter.

Maddie McCann disappeared from a hotel room in the Portuguese resort of Praia da Luz in May 2007 PA:PRESS ASSOCIATION6Maddie McCann disappeared from a hotel room in the Portuguese resort of Praia da Luz in May 2007Goncalo Amaral has previously said that Kate and Gerry McCann had faked the abduction NEWS GROUP NEWSPAPERS LTD

Goncalo Amaral has previously said that Kate and Gerry McCann had faked the abduction

Kate McCann: Son asked if she'd hid MadeleineThe hearing took place in private in Lisbon this morning.

And Portuguese newspapers also reported the country’s Supreme Court had ruled against their new bid to try to silence Amaral’s claims.The couple could now face a huge legal bill, which had been frozen until the outcome of the final appeal.The decision is a major milestone in Gerry and Kate McCann’s eight-year fight over a book written by Amaral, who led the initial hunt when then-three-year-old Madeleine vanished from their Algarve holiday apartment in May 2007.

Amaral was ordered to pay Kate and Gerry £430,000 plus interest in damages after losing round one of their libel battle in April 2015 over his hurtful book ‘The Truth of the Lie.’

hThe night Maddie was takenAppeal judges reversed the initial ruling by a court in Lisbon in April last year, siding with the former police chief and overturning a ban on his book.

The decision sparked a fresh appeal by the McCanns to the country’s highest law court.

The McCanns’ Portuguese lawyer Isabel Duarte lodged the couple’s new appeal last May after vowing to fight the U-turn by judges over Amaral’s book.

Criticising the ruling in favour of the ex-police chief, which a friend of the McCanns said had left them “seething,” she said: “This decision was an appreciation of the law and not the facts.

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THE MADDIE TOUR Sick Maddie McCann tour takes punters to locations in Praia da Luz where three-year-old vanished“We can appeal to the Supreme Court which we will do as we have instructions from our clients.”

The judge who ruled in the McCanns’ favour in April 2015 said Amaral’s constitutional rights to freedom of speech and expression were conditioned by the fact he had been in charge of the investigation into Madeleine’s disappearance until shortly before the publication of his book.

She concluded he played on his status as a long-serving police officer to present personal opinions and claims about the high-profile case as fact.

The appeal judges said Amaral’s right to express his opinions overruled any duty of confidentiality he had as an ex-police chief heading the Madeleine McCann investigation once the case files were put into the public domain.

hMcCanns believe Maddie's alive

GETTY IMAGES6His dispute with the McCanns revolves around allegation made in his book about the missing British girl

Parents of missing Madeleine McCann have reportedly found fresh hope from the case PA:PRESS ASSOCIATION6The McCanns have said they still hold out hope that their daughter will be found nearly ten years since she disappearedGETTY IMAGES6A source close to the family said Kate and Gerry McCann have started 2017 with a "positive" mind

hMcCanns Slate Maddie CopAmaral is understood to have earned £344,00 from his book before it was banned and a subsequent TV documentary.

He claimed in the book Madeleine had died in their holiday flat and they had faked her abduction to cover up the tragedy.

The book was released just three days after Gerry and Kate were told their status as formal suspects had been lifted on July 21 2008.

The McCanns told the Lisbon court staging the Amaral libel trial in the summer of 2014 they were left “devastated and crushed” by his allegations.

The McCanns were denied the appeal presented by the Supreme Court against Gonçalo Amaral. The former Inspector of the Judiciary Police claimed, in his book 'Truth of the Lie', that Madeleine McCann's parents were responsible for HER disappearance in 2007, on Luz beach in the Algarve.

In April 2016, the Court of Appeal annulled the sentence taken by a lower court that forced Gonçalo Amaral to pay compensation to the couple.

The Appellate Court understood that the ex-inspector was free to express his opinion and his book could go back on sale.

Kate and Gerry McCann did not settle for the verdict at the time and said they would appeal the ruling in the Supreme Court. The appeal was filed by the lawyer at the end of May last year.

The decision of the Supreme has now been made known. According to SIC Notícias, the appeal was dismissed and the McCann couple lost the case against Gonçalo Amaral, having now no more opportunities to reverse the decision.

Natasha posted this on facebook as Portugal Resident site has overheated!

Supreme court rejects Mccanns’ appeal: Amaral vindicated for second timeIn a case of “second time proved right” former PJ coordinator Gonçalo Amaral has seen a national court take his side in the long-running civil action taken out by the parents of Madeleine McCann.The Supreme Court has today convened to consider the case, and is reported by SIC television news as having “dismissed it”.This means that Supreme Court judges do not consider there are grounds to appeal against the decision given in April last year by Lisbon’s Appellate Court, and which ruled that Amaral was well within his rights of freedom of expression when he wrote the book: “Madeleine: The Truth of the Lie”.SIC’s report claims the McCanns have now “lost the case against Gonçalo Amaral” as “there are now no further opportunities to reverse the decision” of the Appellate Court.Whether this is in fact the truth, remains to be seen. The McCanns lawyer Isabel Duarte has intimated to British press that the couple could take the case to the European Court of Human Rights if they lost in Portugal.

The McCanns were denied the appeal presented by the Supreme Court against Gonçalo Amaral. The former Inspector of the Judiciary Police claimed, in his book 'Truth of the Lie', that Madeleine McCann's parents were responsible for HER disappearance in 2007, on Luz beach in the Algarve.

In April 2016, the Court of Appeal annulled the sentence taken by a lower court that forced Gonçalo Amaral to pay compensation to the couple.

The Appellate Court understood that the ex-inspector was free to express his opinion and his book could go back on sale.

Kate and Gerry McCann did not settle for the verdict at the time and said they would appeal the ruling in the Supreme Court. The appeal was filed by the lawyer at the end of May last year.

The decision of the Supreme has now been made known. According to SIC Notícias, the appeal was dismissed and the McCann couple lost the case against Gonçalo Amaral, having now no more opportunities to reverse the decision.

No more opportunities to reverse the decision

What were the latest accounts? Not sure they will be needing that extension anymore, hope it added value? Surely they now have a huge bill(s) to pay?

____________________“Basically, I’m just an ordinary, straightforward guy who’s the victim of the biggest f***-up on this planet – if you’ll excuse the language.”

A good day for common sense and justice, the McCann's brought this action themselves and went all out to seize this mans assets so he couldn't defend himself, maybe they should sue carter ruck for giving them bad advice on persuing it without any research or evidence for their claims of how it affected them, and as for paying court costs they have always insisted they haven't used the public donations for that and their lawyers have always worked pro bono so thats good then isn't it, they didn't win so their lawyers won't charge them a fee then.Also you have the figures wrong again the sun, Mr Amaral is only likely to have made about £90.000 euros from his book as with any book they only get a percentage of the sales.

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Andrew Adams4 minutes ago McCann are only doing this for the money. In my eyes they are guilty of murdering little maddie, others wise with all the publicity the little girl would have been found.Gerry is after free publicity, none of M cCanns are grieving over loss of their eldest child, it's all for show, to get people to feel sorry for them and to get money off gullible people. Who's funding this court case.FlagShareLIKEREPLY

Barry Bucket7 minutes ago Maybe now the British police will take off the blinkers and look at the case with an open mind. Well done, Sr Amaral...the only one to come out of this case with any credibility.

Where's Mr Pink, where's Brunt? Will this make headline news on Sky?

I think not.

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geff allan9 minutes ago That scum bag Amarel should be made to grovel on his knees and beg forgiveness to Kate & Gerry. There should be some retrebution for what he has done and I hope he gets it sooner than later.... bastrad FlagShareLIKEREPLY

@Get'emGonçalo wrote:Natasha posted this on facebook as Portugal Resident site has overheated!

Supreme court rejects Mccanns’ appeal: Amaral vindicated for second timeIn a case of “second time proved right” former PJ coordinator Gonçalo Amaral has seen a national court take his side in the long-running civil action taken out by the parents of Madeleine McCann.The Supreme Court has today convened to consider the case, and is reported by SIC television news as having “dismissed it”.This means that Supreme Court judges do not consider there are grounds to appeal against the decision given in April last year by Lisbon’s Appellate Court, and which ruled that Amaral was well within his rights of freedom of expression when he wrote the book: “Madeleine: The Truth of the Lie”.SIC’s report claims the McCanns have now “lost the case against Gonçalo Amaral” as “there are now no further opportunities to reverse the decision” of the Appellate Court.Whether this is in fact the truth, remains to be seen. The McCanns lawyer Isabel Duarte has intimated to British press that the couple could take the case to the European Court of Human Rights if they lost in Portugal.

Really?And what about Madeleine's Human Rights?

____________________“Basically, I’m just an ordinary, straightforward guy who’s the victim of the biggest f***-up on this planet – if you’ll excuse the language.”

LISBON, Portugal (AP) — Portugal's Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that missing British girl Madeleine McCann's parents can't sue for libel a former Portuguese detective who published a book alleging they were involved in their daughter's disappearance.

A court official told The Associated Press that Portugal's highest court ruled the allegations are protected by freedom of expression laws. Also, the judges decided his claims weren't abusive and "were within acceptable limits in an open and democratic society."

The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the decision hadn't yet been published.

FILE - In this July 24, 2008 file photo, former detective Goncalo Amaral poses with his book whose title translates as "The Truth in the Lies", during its launch in Lisbon.

Portugal's Supreme Court has ruled that missing British girl Madeleine McCann's parents can't sue for libel a former Portuguese detective who published a book alleging they were involved in their daughter's disappearance. A court official told The Associated Press on Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2017 that Portugal's highest court ruled the allegations are protected by freedom of expression laws and weren't abusive.

A Lisbon court in 2015 ordered Goncalo Amaral to pay Kate and Gerry McCann 500,000 euros ($540,000) in compensation. The McCanns had sought 1.2 million euros. An appeals court last year overturned that conviction, but the McCann's lawyers turned to Portugal's top court.

Madeleine disappeared from a vacation home in Portugal's Algarve region in May 2007, days before her 4th birthday.

Amaral had argued in his defense that the claims in his 2008 book "The Truth of the Lie" stemmed from the police investigation. He also noted that Portuguese media had already reported the possibility that the parents might have played a role in Madeleine's disappearance.

Portuguese police closed the investigation after detecting no evidence of a crime, but British police are still looking into it.

Madeleine's disappearance sparked global interest as pictures of her and her grieving parents were published around the world.

@Get'emGonçalo wrote:Natasha posted this on facebook as Portugal Resident site has overheated!

Supreme court rejects Mccanns’ appeal: Amaral vindicated for second timeIn a case of “second time proved right” former PJ coordinator Gonçalo Amaral has seen a national court take his side in the long-running civil action taken out by the parents of Madeleine McCann.The Supreme Court has today convened to consider the case, and is reported by SIC television news as having “dismissed it”.This means that Supreme Court judges do not consider there are grounds to appeal against the decision given in April last year by Lisbon’s Appellate Court, and which ruled that Amaral was well within his rights of freedom of expression when he wrote the book: “Madeleine: The Truth of the Lie”.SIC’s report claims the McCanns have now “lost the case against Gonçalo Amaral” as “there are now no further opportunities to reverse the decision” of the Appellate Court.Whether this is in fact the truth, remains to be seen. The McCanns lawyer Isabel Duarte has intimated to British press that the couple could take the case to the European Court of Human Rights if they lost in Portugal.

Really?And what about Madeleine's Human Rights?

They should quit while they're not ahead.

For goodness sake this was supposed to have been about a book which has been all over the internet for years anyway!

@Get'emGonçalo wrote:Natasha posted this on facebook as Portugal Resident site has overheated!

Supreme court rejects Mccanns’ appeal: Amaral vindicated for second timeIn a case of “second time proved right” former PJ coordinator Gonçalo Amaral has seen a national court take his side in the long-running civil action taken out by the parents of Madeleine McCann.The Supreme Court has today convened to consider the case, and is reported by SIC television news as having “dismissed it”.This means that Supreme Court judges do not consider there are grounds to appeal against the decision given in April last year by Lisbon’s Appellate Court, and which ruled that Amaral was well within his rights of freedom of expression when he wrote the book: “Madeleine: The Truth of the Lie”.SIC’s report claims the McCanns have now “lost the case against Gonçalo Amaral” as “there are now no further opportunities to reverse the decision” of the Appellate Court.Whether this is in fact the truth, remains to be seen. The McCanns lawyer Isabel Duarte has intimated to British press that the couple could take the case to the European Court of Human Rights if they lost in Portugal.

So pleased to hear this news - justice well and truly served to someone who really deserves it. HIs brave brave stand for freedom of speech and what he believed in is a lesson to us all - I only wish I had his courage

I guess - justice does come to those brave enough to fight and wait for their day. I hope now that he can now go on and live the rest of his life without the looming threatening McCann Cloud hanging over his head.

@Get'emGonçalo wrote:Natasha posted this on facebook as Portugal Resident site has overheated!

Supreme court rejects Mccanns’ appeal: Amaral vindicated for second timeIn a case of “second time proved right” former PJ coordinator Gonçalo Amaral has seen a national court take his side in the long-running civil action taken out by the parents of Madeleine McCann.The Supreme Court has today convened to consider the case, and is reported by SIC television news as having “dismissed it”.This means that Supreme Court judges do not consider there are grounds to appeal against the decision given in April last year by Lisbon’s Appellate Court, and which ruled that Amaral was well within his rights of freedom of expression when he wrote the book: “Madeleine: The Truth of the Lie”.SIC’s report claims the McCanns have now “lost the case against Gonçalo Amaral” as “there are now no further opportunities to reverse the decision” of the Appellate Court.Whether this is in fact the truth, remains to be seen. The McCanns lawyer Isabel Duarte has intimated to British press that the couple could take the case to the European Court of Human Rights if they lost in Portugal.

Eddie and Keela alerted to items and places concerned with the McCanns - and importantly to no other items or places.

According to Eddie and Keela, the body of Madeleine McCann lay lifeless behind the sofa in Apartment 5a, clinging to the only thing from which she could derive any comfort; a soft toy called 'Cuddle cat'.

Former Met Police Chief Lord Stevens:"There was no hard evidence because of the sheer inadequacy of the Portuguese investigation. There's absolutely no chance the parents of Madeleine McCann would be charged with her murder in this country. I've been a detective at the most senior level for 30 years and have never seen such a witch-hunt, or one based on such flimsy evidence."

Ch Insp Tavares de Almeida: "Kate and Gerald McCann are involved in the concealment of the cadaver of their daughter Madeleine McCann. From what has been established up to now, everything indicates that the McCann couple, in self-defence, doesn't want to deliver the cadaver immediately and voluntarily."

Kate's book 'madeleine', Page 219: "Did they really believe that a dog could smell the 'odour of death' three months later from a body that had been so swiftly removed?"

After forensic analysis of the 'Last Photo' there is little doubt now that the pool photo CANNOT POSSIBLY have been taken on the Thursday 3rd May, but most likely on the Sunday 29th April. So, where was Madeleine at lunchtime on Thursday? We don't know, but we can begin to "purport theories" based both on strong evidence, and lack of evidence.

Dr Gonçalo Amaral, retired PJ Coordinator: "The English can always present the conclusions to which they themselves arrived in 2007. Because they know, they have the evidence of what happened, they don't need to investigate anything. When MI5 opens their files, then we will know the truth."

Ex-Met DCI Colin Sutton: "The most likely scenario is that Madeleine was stolen to order by slave traders and smuggled into Africa for a rich family who wanted a white child."

Ex-Met DCI Andy Redwood had a "revelation moment" on BBC1's Crimewatch on 14th October 2013 when he announced that Operation Grange had eliminated the Tanner sighting - which opened up the 'window' of opportunity', in accordance with their remit, to allow the staged abduction to happen.

Tracey Kandohla: "A McCann pal told The Sun Online: "Some of the savings have been siphoned off from the Find Maddie Fund into a fixed asset account, which financial experts have advised them to do. It can be used for purchases like buying a house or building equipment."

Gerry McCann called for an example to be made of 'trolls'. SKY reporter Martin Brunt doorstepped Brenda Leyland on 2 October 2014 after a 'Dossier' was handed in to Police by McCann supporters. She was then found dead in a Leicester hotel room the next day. Brenda paid the price.